Publication

In Britain the use of fertilisers has greatly increased the productivity of forests growing on nutrient-poor soils. In fact, many sites could not otherwise have been successfully afforested. From the early pioneering work of Stirling-Maxwell to the present day, the Forestry Commission has continually tested rates and types of fertiliser and methods of application. A pattern has gradually emerged from these empirical experiments indicating the fertiliser requirements of the main tree species planted. This has been aided by complementary basic research on forest nutrition, particularly at the Macaulay Institute, Edinburgh University and the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology. This Bulletin attempts to condense this research into practical guidance for the forest manager. The Bulletin is intended to supplement field experience and to aid rational decision-making. It is designed to present current knowledge in a structured fashion to assist programme planning at both regional and local level. It can also be used for indicating nutrient requirements on specific sites, although interpretation will require greater care and field verification will be essential.